1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a water resistant structure of a bundled flexible cable, and in particular to a cluster section included in the flexible circuit cable that comprises at least a lap section, to which a water resistant component is coupled.
2. The Related Arts
A flexible cable has been widely used in various electronic devices, such as a mobile phone, a notebook computer, a digital camera, a camcorder, and a translation device. The conventional structure of a flexible circuit cable arranges a plurality of electrical conductors covered with insulating jackets in a juxtaposing manner to form a flexible circuit cable, which is combined with electrical connectors or circuit soldering to realize transmission of electronic signals. A flexible circuit cable may also be coupled with other components, such as a resistor, a capacitor, an integrated circuit (IC), and an electromagnetic switch.
When a flexible circuit cable is used in an electronic device, no special concern about water resistance must be taken into account. However, for a portable electronic device designed for outdoor use, such as a mobile phone and a digital camera, water resistance or humidity protection becomes a concern. Particularly, in the field of mobile phones, a flexible cable is used to connect between a host device and a display screen of a mobile phone through for example connectors or soldering. If there is no effective water resistant structure between the flexible circuit cable and the host device or the display screen of the mobile phone, water or other liquids, or even contaminants, may flow or move along the flexible circuit cable into the interior of the host device or the display screen of the mobile phone. In the worst condition, shorting may be caused, leading to undesired damage.
Further, when an electronic device is made more and more compact with more and more functions integrated therein, it is getting more and more difficult to extend a flat cable that connects between two electronic components through a structure such as a hinge or a narrow passage. To overcome such a problem, a circuit cable in the form of flexible board, is folded or cut into multiple cable components in a cluster form to thereby form a bundled flexible cable in order to readily extend through a hinge or a narrow passage.